Postdoc Project

My postdoc project investigates rhythm in Scandinavian folk music, with a special focus on music styles with an intimate relationship with dance and that are in non-isochronous meter–that is, the intervals between beats in the measure are of uneven duration. The project’s theoretical point of departure is that the experience of musical rhythm includes the interaction between perceived sonic rhythms and underlying reference structures, such as meter. The project further investigates whether musical meter may not only include points in time, or the duration between points, but also trajectories between the points–that is, metrical shape, and that this metrical shape might correspond to dancers’ periodic body motion. The project also seeks a better understanding of the role of performers’ and perceivers’ music-cultural background in production and perception of rhythm in these music styles.

The perception of musical meter is fundamental for rhythm production and perception in much music. Underlying structures such as pulse, meter, and metrical subdivisions are often described as successive points in time. This paper investigates whether experienced musical meter may not only include such points in time, but also trajectories between the points–that is, metrical shapes. Previous studies have pointed out that there seems to be a relationship between musical meter and periodic body motion like foot tapping, head nodding and dancing. This paper investigates musical meter in music styles with an intimate relationship with dance, and whether metrical points and trajectories can be understood by investigating performers’ periodic body motion. Two motion capture studies form the empirical basis of this paper; first, a percussionist and a dancer performing Brazilian samba; second, a fiddler and two dancers performing Norwegian telespringar. The analysis showed that it seemed to be a relationship between the periodic fluctuation in audio amplitude and the performers’ periodic foot motion on sixteenth note level in samba. Furthermore, motion analysis revealed similar periodic shapes in both percussionist and dancer foot motion. In telespringar there seemed to be a relationship between the metrical beat level and the fiddler’s foot stamping. In addition, the beat duration pattern, as indicated by the fiddler’s periodic foot stamping, seemed to correspond to the shape of the dancers’ vertical body motion. The results support the view that there is a close relationship between musical meter and performers’ periodic body motion. This suggest that the underlying meter may not only include metrical points in time, but that each metrical beat/subdivision duration has a corresponding metrical trajectory with a certain shape. If this is the case, then perceivers’ and performers’ implicit knowledge of the underlying reference structure in samba and telespringar might incorporate knowledge about the underlying metrical shape.

People tend to perceive many and also salient similarities between musical sound and body motion in musical experience, as can be seen in countless situations of music performance or listening to music, and as has been documented by a number of studies in the past couple of decades. The so-called motor theory of perception has claimed that these similarity relationships are deeply rooted in human cognitive faculties, and that people perceive and make sense of what they hear by mentally simulating the body motion thought to be involved in the making of sound. In this paper, we survey some basic theories of sound-motion similarity in music, and in particular the motor theory perspective. We also present findings regarding sound-motion similarity in musical performance, in dance, in so-called sound-tracing (the spontaneous body motions people produce in tandem with musical sound), and in sonification, all in view of providing a broad basis for understanding sound-motion similarity in music.

The pulse level in music is often described as a series of isochronous beats that provides an underlying reference structure against which we perceive rhythmic patterns. This notion is challenged by music styles that seem to feature an underlying reference structure that consists of beats of uneven duration, such as certain traditional Scandinavian dance music genres in so-called asymmetrical meter. This study investigates periodic body motion as a reference structure in a specific style of traditional Norwegian dance music called telespringar. The intimate relationship between music and motion is often highlighted in rhythm studies of telespringar, so this study encompasses both sound and motion analyses. It is based on a motion capture study of three telespringar performers; one fiddler and two dancers. Motion analysis of the fiddler's foot stamping indicates a stable long–medium–short duration pattern at beat level. Motion analysis of the dancers' vertical motion of the hips revealed a periodic pattern in synchrony with the beat duration pattern determined by the fiddler's foot stamping. This result implies that the underlying rhythmic structures in telespringar depend upon a shared and embodied knowledge of the underlying asymmetrical reference structure that is implicit in the production and perception of telespringar.

Recording music-related motions in ecologically valid situations can be challenging. We investigate the performance of three devices providing 3D acceleration data, namely Axivity AX3, iPhone 4s and a Wii controller tracking rhythmic motions. The devices are benchmarked against an infrared motion capture system, tested on both simple and complex music-related body motions, and evaluations are presented of the data quality and suitability for tracking music-related motions in real-world situations. The various systems represent different trade-offs with respect to data quality, user interface and physical attributes.

Pulse is a fundamental reference for the production and perception of rhythm. In this paper, we study entrainment to changes in the micro-rhythmic design of the basic pulse of the groove in ‘Left & Right’ by D’Angelo. In part 1 of the groove the beats have one specific position; in part 2, on the other hand, the different rhythmic layers specify two simultaneous but alternative beat positions that are approximately 50-80 ms apart. We first anticipate listeners’ perceptual response using the theories of entrainment and dynamic attending as points of departure. We then report on a motion capture experiment aimed at engaging listeners’ motion patterns in response to the two parts of the tune. The results show that when multiple onsets are introduced in part 2, the half note becomes a significant additional level of entrainment and the temporal locations of the perceived beats are drawn towards the added onsets. Pulse is a fundamental reference for the production and perception of rhythm. In this paper, we study entrainment to changes in the micro-rhythmic design of the basic pulse of the groove in ‘Left & Right’ by D’Angelo. In part 1 of the groove the beats have one specific position; in part 2, on the other hand, the different rhythmic layers specify two simultaneous but alternative beat positions that are approximately 50-80 ms apart. We first anticipate listeners’ perceptual response using the theories of entrainment and dynamic attending as points of departure. We then report on a motion capture experiment aimed at engaging listeners’ motion patterns in response to the two parts of the tune. The results show that when multiple onsets are introduced in part 2, the half note becomes a significant additional level of entrainment and the temporal locations of the perceived beats are drawn towards the added onsets.

Haugen, Mari Romarheim (2015). Asymmetrical meter in Scandinavian folk music and dance - A case study of Norwegian Telespringar, In
Proceedings of the Ninth Triennial Conference of the European Society for the Cognitive Sciences of Music (ESCOM).
Royal Northern College of Music.
Paper.
s 432
- 436
Full text in Research Archive.

Recording music-related motions in ecological valid situa- tions can be challenging. We investigate the performance of three devices providing 3D acceleration data, namely Axivity AX3, iPhone 4s and a Wii controller tracking rhythmic motions. The devices are benchmarked against an infrared motion capture system. The devices tracked simple and complex rhythmic motions to pre-recorded music and were evalu- ated both based on the data quality and also in terms of how suitable the systems seem for tracking music-related motions in real-world situa- tions. The various systems represent different trade offs with respect to timing, accuracy and precision.

The MYO armband from Thalmic Labs is a complete and wireless motion and muscle sensing platform. This paper evaluates the armband’s sensors and its potential for NIME applications. This is followed by a presentation of the prototype instrument MuMYO. We conclude that, despite some shortcomings, the armband has potential of becoming a new “standard” controller in the NIME community.

Haugen, Mari Romarheim & Godøy, Rolf Inge (2014). Rhythmical Structures in Music and Body Movement in Samba Performance, In Moo Kyoung Song (ed.),
Proceedings of the ICMPC-APSCOM 2014 Joint Conference: 13th Biennial International Conference for Music Perception and Cognition and 5th Triennial Conference of the Asia Pacific Society for the Cognitive Sciences of Music.
College of Music, Yonsei University.
ISBN 978-89-89544-53-1.
Article in Proceedings.
s 46
- 52
Full text in Research Archive.

Haugen, Mari Romarheim (2018). The Effect of Tempo on Non-Isochronous Subdivisions in Performed Samba Groove.
Show summary

Several empirical studies have investigated the role of tempo on the characteristic non-isochronous long–short duration pattern on eight note level in jazz. Friberg and Sundström (1997) found an approximately linear decrease of swing ratio with increasing tempo and suggest a lower limit to the duration of the short second eight note around 100 ms. Honing and Haas (2008) found that the swing ratio is adapted to the overall tempo, but did not find that it scaled linearly with tempo. Non-isochronous subdivision patterns have also been found in samba groove (e.g., Gerischer, 2006; Haugen, 2016; Naveda, 2011)–that is, at the level of sixteenth notes. In samba groove the fourth sixteenth note seems to be longer in duration than the others. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of tempo on the duration pattern on sixteenth note level in a performed samba groove. Two professional samba performers, a percussionist and a dancer, participated in the study. The analysis in present paper is based on the recorded sound. The percussionist played a samba groove at three different tempi: 133, 100, and 69 BPM. Since all the sixteenth notes are played in this recording, their temporal position could be detected using onset detection. Subsequently, the inter-onset-intervals (IOIs) between the sixteenth notes were calculated and converted into percent values according to their percentage of the beat. The analysis showed significant differences between all the sixteenth note durations in all three tempi–that is, a medium/long–short–medium/short–long duration pattern on sixteenth note level were found at all tempi. In addition, a significant interaction between sixteenth note type and tempo were found. The analysis showed that as the tempo increases the short second sixteenth note became shorter and the long fourth sixteenth note became longer. In the fastest tempo, the short second sixteenth note’s mean duration is only 68 ms, something that is much shorter than 100 ms that has previous been suggested to be the shortest interval that we can hear and perform. The results suggest that the non-isochronous duration pattern on sixteenth note level in samba becomes even more non-isochronous with increasing tempo. In addition, the results indicate that the lower limit for IOIs in samba groove is below 100 ms. REFERENCES: Friberg & Sundström. (1997). Preferred swing ratio in jazz as a function of tempo. Speech, Music, and Hearing: Quarterly Status and Progress Report (TMH-QSPR), 4, 19–27. Gerischer (2006). O suingue baiano: Rhythmic feeling and microrhythmic phenomena in Brazilian percussion. Ethnomusicology, 50(1), 99–119. Haugen (2016). Music–Dance. Investigating Rhythm Structures in Brazilian Samba and Norwegian Telespringar Performance. (Ph.D. Thesis), University of Oslo, Oslo. Honing & Haas (2008). Swing Once More: Relating Timing and Tempo in Expert Jazz Drumming. Music Perception: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 25(5), 471–476. doi:10.1525/mp.2008.25.5.471 Naveda (2011). Gesture in Samba: A cross-modal analysis of dance and music from the Afro-Brazilian culture. (Ph.D. thesis), Faculty of Arts and Philosophy, Ghent University, Belgium, Ghent, Belgium.

The perception of musical meter is fundamental for rhythm production and perception in much music. Underlying structures such as pulse, meter, and metrical subdivisions are often described as successive mental beats. This paper investigates whether experienced musical meter may not only include such mental points in time, but also trajectories between the points–that is, metrical shapes. Previous studies have pointed out that there seems to be a relationship between musical meter and periodic body motions like foot tapping, head nodding and dancing. This paper investigates whether metrical shapes might also be present in performers’ periodic body motions. Two motion capture studies form the empirical basis of this paper; first, a percussionist and a dancer performing Brazilian samba; second, a fiddler and two dancers performing Norwegian telespringar. Motion analysis of the samba performers’ periodic body motion revealed similar periodic shapes in both percussionist and dancer foot motion on sixteenth note level. In telespringar there seemed to be a relationship between the beat durations indicated by the fiddler’s periodic foot stamping and the shape of the dancers’ vertical body motion. The results support the view that there is a close relationship between musical meter and performers’ periodic body motion. The analysis of the performers’ periodic body motions revealed periodic motion shapes on beat level in telespringar and on sixteenth note level in samba. This suggest that the underlying meter may not only include metrical points in time, but that each metrical beat/subdivision duration has a corresponding metrical trajectory with a certain shape. If this is the case, then perceivers’ and performers’ implicit knowledge of the underlying reference structure in samba and telespringar might incorporate knowledge about the underlying metrical shape.

This thesis investigates the interaction between perceived rhythm and underlying reference structures in the experience of rhythm in music. The point of departure is that both music performers’ and perceivers’ body motions are relevant to the study of rhythm. The studies included in this thesis investigate rhythm patterns in sound and body motion in two music styles, Brazilian samba and Norwegian telespringar, based on motion capture and sound recordings of professional musicians and dancers. Samba is often characterized by so-called systematic microtiming at the sixteenth-note level. This was confirmed in our sound analysis of the samba groove, showing a medium–medium–medium–long duration pattern at the sixteenth-note level. In addition, motion analysis of the percussionist’s heel tapping and the dancer’s steps revealed motion patterns in synchrony with this rhythm pattern. Telespringar, on the other hand, is often described as featuring a so-called asymmetrical triple meter—that is, the three beats in a measure are of uneven duration. According to previous studies, both the fiddler’s foot stamping and the dancers’ vertical body motions are related to this underlying meter. This relation was confirmed in the motion analysis of a fiddler’s foot stamping. The dancers’ vertical motion patterns, however, deviated from theories suggesting that the turning points in the dancers’ vertical motion curves correspond to the meter. The thesis therefore suggests that it is the shape of the dancers’ vertical motion that corresponds to the underlying beat duration, rather than the turning points that correspond to the underlying beat positions. The main conclusion is that the underlying sixteenth-note level in samba and the underlying beat level in telespringar should not be understood as deviations from an isochronous pulse of some sort. Instead, they should be understood as inherently (and necessarily) non-isochronous, in and of themselves.

The MYO armband from Thalmic Labs is a complete and wireless motion and muscle sensing platform. This paper evaluates the armband’s sensors and its potential for NIME applications. This is followed by a presentation of the prototype instrument MuMYO. We conclude that, despite some shortcomings, the armband has potential of becoming a new “standard” controller in the NIME community.